The Call to Arms

Lyra’s footsteps echoed in the silence as she made her way toward the forest’s edge, leaving the village behind her. Old Bram’s words replayed in her mind, weighing heavy on her thoughts: “Whether you believe it or not, the time has come.”

She wasn’t sure she believed it. She was no hero, no chosen savior. She was just a girl who barely knew how to hold a blade, let alone wield Karael’s Will. But the mark on her hand throbbed with a strange warmth, a silent reminder of the power buried beneath the earth somewhere, waiting for her.

The path through the trees grew darker, the canopy overhead thick with branches and tangled vines. Lyra pulled her cloak tighter around herself, shivering as a chill wind brushed past. Every sound, every rustle in the leaves, set her on edge.

Then, suddenly, a figure stepped out from the shadows—a tall man, wrapped in a dark cloak with a weathered face and cold, calculating eyes. She froze, her heart pounding as his gaze settled on her.

“Not many dare to travel alone in these woods,” he said, his voice low and gravelly. “Especially not a young girl like you.”

“I… I’m not afraid,” she stammered, though her hands trembled at her sides.

The man studied her, his eyes narrowing as they flicked to the mark on her hand. Recognition flashed across his face, and he nodded as if confirming something.

“My name is Thane,” he said, lowering his hood. “I lead a band of rebels fighting against the Crow Lord’s forces. And if that mark on your hand is real, you’re exactly the one we’ve been waiting for.”

Lyra shook her head, taking a step back. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m not a hero. I’m just trying to find… something.”

Thane’s lips curled into a small smile. “That ‘something’ you’re looking for is Karael’s Will, isn’t it? You wouldn’t be the first to seek it, but you may be the first destined to find it.”

He held out his hand, offering her a choice. “Come with me. Join us, and I’ll help you find the sword. We can train you, teach you how to fight. Or, you can go alone… and face the Crow Lord’s wrath unprepared.”

Lyra hesitated, glancing at his outstretched hand. She didn’t trust this stranger, not fully. But something in her heart urged her forward, as if this meeting had been part of her path all along.

She took his hand, feeling its roughness and strength. “I’ll come with you,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Thane’s grip tightened. “Good. Then your journey begins now.”

Together, they vanished into the shadows of the forest, leaving behind the village, the dreams, and the life she once knew.

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